La Saint-Jean-Baptiste

Saint Jean Baptist (Saint John Baptist)

Saint John Baptist is the patron saint of french Canadians since 1908, however he has been celebrated long before that.  The tradition came as early as the 1600's with the first french colonists.  In 1908, Pope Pius X designated Saint John the Baptist as the patron saint of french Canadians.  In Quebec since 1977,  June 24 has been a paid statutory Holiday.  It is traditionally celebrated with a display of fireworks.

Biblically, Saint John the Baptist is a christian day celebrating the coming of the birth of the Messiah (Jesus Christ). 

Mon premier anniversaire de mariage

C'est mon premier anniversaire de mariage à un homme magnifique.

Nous avons eu une excellente première année de mariage. Nous avons voyagé, rénovations finies sur notre maison, et surtout ajouté un nouveau membre dans notre famille! Je ne pouvais pas être plus heureux d'être marié à un tel homme excellent. (We have had a great first year of mariage.  We have travelled, completed renovations on our house, and most importantly added a new member to our family!  I couldn't be happier to be married to such an excellent man.)

Ma fille dans ma robe de mariée

Strongman in Quebec

Hommefort (strongman)

Aujourd'hui, je suis allée à 150e Anniversiare de Louis Cyr, dans ma ville de Napierville, Qc.(Today, I went to the 150th Anniversary of Lois Cyr in my town of Napierville, Qc.  Louis Cyr était un Canadien français célèbre pour sa force. (Louis Cyr was a french Canadian famous for his strength).  Il est né à Napierville, Qc le 10 Octobre 1863 et sa carrière comme un homme fort est entré dans le 20ème siècle.  (He was born in Napierville, Qc on October 10, 1863 and his career as a strongman went into the early 20th  century.

 Ma fille pose comme Louis Cyr

My daughter posing as Louis Cyr

 Ma fille avec un homme fort de Québec, Hugo Girard

My daughter with Quebec's strongman, Hugo Girard

C'était un événement très amusant! (It was a great event!).  Je suis heureuse d'habiter dans la ville où Louis Cyr a vécu.  (I am happy to live in the town Louis Cyr once lived.)

La Planche-Mon exercice favori

La Planche - the plank

Mon exercice favori- my favorite exercise

 

I try to incorporate french into my every day activities therefore I have chosen to show something I do on almost a daily basis.  The Plank ou(or) la planche en français. C'est un excellent exercice pour renforcer les muscles du tronc du corps (It is a great exercise to strengthen the core muscles of the body).  Important pour la posture et la santé! ( important for posture and health!).

 If you choose to exercise en français avec moi(with me) ensure that you have good alignment.  Pour un bon alignement, ayez vos pieds à la largeur des hanches, les fesses bas, les abdominaux contractés, les coudes sous les épaules, et ne laissez pas tomber votre tête!(For good alignment, have your feet hip width apart, your butt low, your abs contracted, your elbows under your shoulders, and do not drop your head!)

 

Renforce(Strengthens): mollets(calfs), cuisses(thighs), fessiers(butt), bas du dos(lower back), abdominaux( abdominals), pectoraux(pectorals), épaules(shoulders), biceps(biceps), et cou (and neck)

 

Planche sur le côté- side plank

Renforce(strengthen) bras(arms), ventre(stomach), et jambes(and legs)

Étire l'arrière des jambes (stretches the back of the legs)

Améliore l'equilibre (improves balance)

J'ai utilisé ces exercices pour aider à me remettre en forme après la grossesse. I used these excercises to help get back in shape after pregnancy.  

IMPORTANT:vérifier avec votre médecin avant d'essayer ces exercices si vous avez un problème de santé.- Check with your doctor before trying these exercises if you have any health issues. 

Going to the hairdresser (aller au salon de coiffure)

Aller au salon de coiffure

There are some locations women(and some men) scout out immediately upon moving to a new area.  One of these places is a hair salon.  I find french women in particular enjoy getting their hair done and you will no doubt find a salon at least every 1/2 km in a town (in my town even less).  At first I was a bit overwhelmed by it all, and just let my hair grow out.  Then I got pregnant and needed something to freshen me up.  I got my husband to call one of the salons I selected to make an appointment for me.  I got along alright...through hand signals and my mediocre attempts at french.

The next time I went to get my haircut the hairdresser picked up that I spoke english and immediately switched.  That was nice of her, however I do like to practice my french and find often people will automatically switch to english when they hear my accent as I try to speak french.  Sometimes I will say  'Je pratique mon français'(I am practicing my french) -or ' parlez moi en français s'il vous plaît,'(Speak to me in french please) to try and get them to continue in french.

Back to the hairdresser,  I was there again  yesterday.  I was proud of myself because I went in and made an appointment in french the day before.  Je voudrais un rendevous pour couper mes cheveux demain, (I would like an appointment to get my haircut tomorrow). When I arrived at the salon, I saw the hair dresser I thought I  made an appointment with coloring another ladies hair.  They were also heavy into a conversation(french salon talk) and I did not want to inturpt with my strong frenglish accent.

I got my break when one of the stylists went to the reception desk.  I said, ``J'ai pres un rendez-vous hier pour me faire couper les cheveux aujourd'hui à dix heure,`` (I made an appointment to have my hair cut yesterday for 10).  The stylist confirmed with me that she would be with me shortly, she was not the stylist I had thought I made an appointment with, but at least I would be getting my hair cut soon.

I got my haircut and was pleased with it, however I did not speak very much french during the cut.   La prochaine fois je pratiquerai mon français davantage (next time I will practice my french more).  I think a hair salon is a perfect place to practice and there is lots of salons to choose from here!

 A picture getting my hair done in the salon

J'ai eu un mal de tête hire soir

 J'ai eu un mal de tête hire soir! 

Meaning: I had a bad headache last night.  

In that sentence I used past tense (passé composé in french).  Also, when one says they are not feeling well at a specific location on the body the verb avoir is used. Otherwise, for just stating that one is sick the verb etre is used.

 If you are a beginner or have had little exposure to french the subjects for french verbs are; je-I, tu-you(in formal), il/elle- he/she, nous-we, vous-you(formal), ils/elles- they 

Example: 

Verb: Etre (to be)

Je suis - I am                nous sommes - We are       

tu es - You are              vous  êtes  - You are            

il/elle est - he/she is      ils/elles sont - They are

Ex. Je suis malade - I am sick
Ils sont malade - They are sick etc.

Verb: Avoir (to have) 

J'ai - I have                   nous avons  - We have        
tu as - You have            vous avez  - You have         
il/elle a  - he/she has     ils/elles ont - They have

Ex. J'ai mal aux genoux - I have sore knees
Vous avez mal au nez - You(formal) have a sore nose

Yes, in french it actually translates back to english that they have sickness in the leg(or whatever bodypart).  This verb is also used when giving your age. I always thought you would use the verb etre to tell your age because in english we say, I am 29 years old.  However, in french they use the verb avoir and it translates as I have 25 years -J'ai vingt-neuf ans.

Also, in the french statement J'ai eu un mal de tête hire soir, the  J'ai eu identifies it as something that has happened in the past.  There are different ways to say things have happened in the past.  However, I will just explain the way that I used it because it is a little advanced.  J'ai eu is passé composé(past tense) form and means I had/got.  For the other articles you tag the eu after the subject and avoir like so:

J'ai eu I had                      nous avons eu  We had
tu as eu You had               vous avez eu  You had
il/elle a eu he/she had      ils/elles ont eu  They had

Important sidenote!

One phrase that has a different meaning with the verb avoir and etre is...

J'ai chaud, and Je suis chaud.  Using the verb avoir in the first one statement it translates as, I have heat, meaning that you are hot from the temperature on a sunny day.  The second statement using the verb etre it means that you are either feeling drunk or feeling sexy.  Knowing this can save you some embarassment!

Anyhow, I honestly did have a headache last night.  I am not sure what it was from, although my husband said that he use to get headaches when he was learning english...so maybe it was that!

Avocados and Lawyers

Les Avocats

I love avocados (not lawyers as much).  I typically have an avacado with my dinner.  Anyhow, today when I was talking about avocados (en français) with my husband he reminded me to be careful, in french the same word is used for avocados and lawyers - les avocats.  I will have to pay attention with this one so people do not think I am squishing a lawyer with my fork!